Green Guide letters

20 Sep 2012, 3 a.m.

In the immortal words on John McEnroe, ''You have got to be kidding.'' But one token British show in the top 25? No Cracker - or indeed anything by the outstanding TV writer of his generation, Jimmy McGovern? No Prime Suspect? I could go on but I'll just say that since your panel nominates a raft of shows they believe are better than those two, I have zero confidence in their judgment.

Green Guide letters

Viewers have debated the merits of hit TV shows such as Breaking Bad, starring Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston.

Blimey! Where're the Brits?

IN THE immortal words on John McEnroe, ''You have got to be kidding.'' But one token British show in the top 25? No Cracker - or indeed anything by the outstanding TV writer of his generation, Jimmy McGovern? No Prime Suspect? I could go on but I'll just say that since your panel nominates a raft of shows they believe are better than those two, I have zero confidence in their judgment.

Eddie Wilgar, Yarraville

Surprise omissions

I WAS surprised East West 101, Spooks and NYPD Blue did not make your top 25 list. And what about Scott & Bailey?

Ian Dale, Rosebud

What about Oz?

OVERALL, you did a great job on your top 25 - with one glaring exception. How about Oz? Surely one of the most well-written dramas of recent memory, a confronting and politically astute examination of the prison system in the US. Oh, and shame on the writer who gave away the ending of season two of Boardwalk Empire. I don't have pay TV and so I'm still waiting on the DVD to be released here!

Marianne Webb, Viewbank

When bad is good

BREAKING Bad most certainly should have been in the top five of your top 25 list. Perhaps it could have replaced The Wire or The West Wing? And where was 30 Rock? I honestly can't believe that omission. But I was happy to see Deadwood and Survivor made the list.

Gill Judd, Nunawading

Best of British

ALTHOUGH I agreed with many of your top 25 choices, especially in the top 10, it seemed more like an American list with the odd token Aussie and Brit show thrown in. Just to redress the balance, here's a British top five: Prime Suspect, State of Play, The IT Crowd, Doctor Who and I'm Alan Partridge.

Robin Griffiths, Red Hill

Curb your praise

Can't believe that the selection panel couldn't find room in the Top 25 for Australian classics Brides of Christ and Seachange, yet included such pretentious US shows such as Curb Your Enthusiasm and Mad Men. Definite bias favouring US shows at the expense of better Australian and English shows. Very disappointing effort.

Maurice West, Koroit

Epic fail

TWO glaring omissions whose failure to make not only your top 25 list but also your ''Next Best'' list beggars belief: the legendary Game of Thrones and the giggle-enducing 30 Rock. Off with your heads (not literally)!

T.B. Holder, Altona Meadows

Forgotten five

FIVE shows excluded from your top 25 came to mind immediately: Dexter, Carnivale, Boston Legal, League of Gentlemen and the American version of The Office. Your ninth choice is my No.1 program of all time, Breaking Bad.

Gerry Besaga, Rosanna

Lost without letters

WHAT'S going on? Out of the 60 shows listed, I watch only three regularly. What happened to shows such as Minuscule, Grand Designs, Coast, Inspector Morse, Who Do You Think You Are? and Australian Story? And, to top it off, no Letters page. Green Guide, get your act together.

Grahame Thom, Hidden Valley

Merged into memory

MY FAVOURITE show was The Fast Lane. It was shown on the ABC and only repeated once. I am also puzzled that neither the Rumpole of the Bailey series or the excellent Power Without Glory failed to get a mention. Perhaps my taste in television is in another stratosphere?

Rod Bryant, Cheltenham

Missing intelligence

SO YOU think you found the top 25 shows? What about Spooks? Your panel wouldn't know good TV if it bit them!

Eddie Wilgar, Yarraville

Only way is Essex

What? No Gavin & Stacey?

Shaun Minehan, Coburg

Cartman cut

I AM staggered that you would omit South Park. In addition, Boss is one of the most provoking and disturbing series I have seen come out of the US. And how on earth could you omit Grand Designs?

Richard Meyman, Tasmania

Language bias

IT IS disappointing that, in a list of 60 programs, space could not be found for either The Eagle or The Killing, two of the most polished and gripping crime series to grace our screens recently. But then, they were on SBS and they were not in English. At least the judges included Mad Men, another top-notch series brought to us by the discerning program planners at SBS.

Brian Macdonald, Watsonia

Motherland still knows best

IN the past 25 years I can think of only two American programs that would qualify for a ''best'' list: Lonesome Dove and Band of Brothers. On the other hand, there have been some good Australian shows (Rake, Crownies, Kath & Kim). Then there is a very long list of quality British programs whose values, messages and entertainment values leave American offerings for dead. Peter Gompertz, Seaford

Feast of humour

DINNERLADIES is funnier, wiser and truer than most of the American so-called comedies on your list.

Eddie Wilgar, Yarraville

One for Wil

HOW could you have left out the Glass House and/or Gruen Planet?

Jenny Parsons, Melbourne

Questionable quality

IF THOSE shows were your best 25 shows, the worst 25 must be mind-boggling.

Geoff Schmidt, North Fitzroy

Aly left out

WHAT about Moonlighting, with that quirky chemistry between Bruce Willis and Cybill Shepherd? How can you exclude the ''adorkable'' Waleed Aly and The Late Session? And Salam Cafe was a ground-breaking comedy that Waleed Aly co produced, and that still has relevance today.

Melina Smith, Melbourne

Thrones overthrown

WHILE I tend to agree with your top 25 list, I was shocked not to see Game of Thrones on at least your ''Next Best'' list. The production is amazing and rivals Lord of the Rings. If The Good Wife and Downton Abbey managed to make an appearance on the list, it should have, too.

Tim Griffin, Melbourne

Have your say

Email letters, including your name, address and daytime phone number, to ggletters@theage.com.au. Letters must be 75 words or fewer and may be edited.